Connector having drop-in insert conductive with shell

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly (10) has a drawn solderable insert (42) received in a mounting aperture (28) of an electrical connector housing (12) and secured therein by a shell (30). The insert (42) has an internally threaded (52) hollow tubular shank (44). Flange means (46) on the insert (42) are received in a recess (54) in either a shell means or the housing (12) and cooperates therewith to prevent the insert (42) from rotating. The flange means (46) are thicker than the depth of the recess (54) to assure electrical continuity between the insert (42) and the shell (30). In a first embodiment, the shank (44) extends beyond the connector housing (12) to a closed end (50) that may be tapered. An alternate embodiment insert (42') has an open end. Yet another alternate embodiment insert (42") has spring means (74,76) that cooperate with insert receiving aperture (60) to secure connector assembly (10) to printed circuit board (62). A further alternate embodiment insert has a spacer means (102) thereon.

We claim: 
     
       1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising: a dielectric housing defining a mating face and a mounting face, said housing having a plurality of terminal receiving passages extending from the mating face, and an integral flange having an aperture therethrough;   a drawn insert extending through the aperture in the housing flange and beyond the housing, said insert having a hollow shaft and a closed end, said insert having integral flange means engaging said housing flange for preventing rotation of said insert, said insert having internal threads in said hollow shaft for receiving a complementary securing means; and   an electrically conductive shell, said shell having means for securing the shell to said housing, said shell having a shroud portion disposed proximate the mating face to engage shielding of a complementary shielded connector, said shell electrically conductive with the drawn insert, said shell having an aperture aligned with said shaft of said insert.   
     
     
       2. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the shaft of the insert proximate the closed end is tapered. 
     
     
       3. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising electrical contacts received in the terminal receiving passages. 
     
     
       4. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for securing the shell to the housing comprises tabs integral with the shell that fold over the housing. 
     
     
       5. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the housing further comprises a recess in the flange of the dielectric housing proximate the aperture to receive the insert flange means, said recess defining recess walls extending into the housing flange, said insert flange means adapted to be received in said recess and to engage a recess wall upon attempted rotation of the insert, whereby when a complementary securing means is threaded into the insert, rotation of the insert relative to the housing is prevented. 
     
     
       6. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein the thickness of the insert flange means is greater than the depth of the recess in the flange of the dielectric housing, whereby electrical continuity is assured between the insert and the shell. 
     
     
       7. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein the recess and flange means are rectangular in shape. 
     
     
       8. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said closed end further comprises a pair of spring means extending therefrom to respective free ends, at least one of said spring means having an arris located intermediate the closed end and said free ends, said at least one spring means having a diverging section intermediate said closed end and said arris, and a converging section intermediate said arris and the free end of said at least one spring means, said diverging section diverging from a longitudinal axis of said insert in the direction from said closed end toward said free ends, said converging section converging toward the longitudinal axis of said insert in the direction from said closed end toward said free ends. 
     
     
       9. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein each of the pair of spring means has a diverging section and a converging section. 
     
     
       10. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein the length of the diverging section along the axis of the insert is at least as great as the thickness of the printed circuit board on which the connector assembly is adapted to be mounted, whereby when the connector is mounted to a printed circuit board by passing the free ends of the spring means into an insert receiving aperture therein from a first side of the printed circuit board until the housing engages the first side, a second side of the printed circuit board peripheral to the insert receiving aperture engages the diverging section of the insert thereby securing the electrical connector assembly to the printed circuit board. 
     
     
       11. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said diverging section and said converging section are contiguous defining said arris. 
     
     
       12. An electrical connector assembly, comprising: a dielectric housing defining a mating face and a mounting face, said housing having a plurality of terminal receiving passages extending from the mating face, and an integral flange having an aperture therethrough;   an insert extending into the aperture in the housing flange, said insert having a hollow shaft, said insert having integral flange means engaging said housing flange for preventing rotation of said insert, said insert having internal threads in said hollow shaft for receiving a complementary securing means; and   an electrically conductive shell, said shell having means for securing the shell to said housing, said shell having a shroud portion disposed proximate the mating face to engage shielding of a complementary shielded connector, said shell electrically conductive with the drawn insert, said shell having an aperture aligned with said shaft of said insert.   
     
     
       13. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 12 further comprising electrical contacts received in the terminal receiving passages. 
     
     
       14. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein the means for securing the shell to the housing comprises tabs integral with the shell that fold over the housing. 
     
     
       15. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein the housing further comprises a recess in the flange of the dielectric housing proximate the aperture to receive the insert flange means, said recess defining recess walls extending into the housing flange, said insert flange means adapted to be received in said recess and to engage a recess wall upon attempted rotation of the insert, whereby when a complementary securing means is threaded into the insert, rotation of the insert relative to the housing is prevented. 
     
     
       16. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein the thickness of the insert flange means is greater than the depth of the recess in the flange of the dielectric housing, whereby electrical continuity is assured between the insert and the shell. 
     
     
       17. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein the recess and flange means are rectangular in shape. 
     
     
       18. An electrical connector as recited in claim 12 further comprising a spacer means integral with said insert and extending from said integral flange in a direction opposite said shaft a predetermined distance, said spacer means defining a surface at the end thereof adapted to engage a mated connector, said spacer means having a threaded bore for receiving the complementary securing means. 
     
     
       19. An electrical connector assembly comprising: a dielectric housing defining a mating face and a mounting face, said housing having a plurality of terminal receiving passages extending from the mating face;   flange means having an aperture therethrough;   an insert extending into the aperture in the flange means, said insert having a hollow shaft, said insert having integral flange means engaging said flange means for preventing rotation of said insert, said insert having internal threads in said hollow shaft for receiving a complementary securing means; and   an electrically conductive shell, said shell having means for securing the shell to said flange means, said shell having a shroud portion disposed proximate the mating face to engage shielding of a complementary shielded connector, said shell electrically conductive with the insert, said shell having an aperture aligned with said shaft of said insert.   
     
     
       20. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein the flange means further comprises a recess in the flange means proximate the aperture to receive the insert flange means, said recess defining recess walls extending into the flange means, said insert flange means adapted to be received in said recess and to engage a recess wall upon attempted rotation of the insert, whereby when a complementary securing means is threaded into the insert, rotation of the insert relative to the housing is prevented. 
     
     
       21. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 20 wherein the thickness of the insert flange means is greater than the depth of the recess in the flange means, whereby electrical continuity is assured between the insert and the shell. 
     
     
       22. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein said insert further comprises an integral spacer means extending from said integral flange means in a direction opposite said shaft a predetermined distance, said spacer means defining a surface at the end thereof adapted to engage a mated connector, said spacer means having a threaded bore for receiving the complementary securing means. 
     
     
       23. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein said insert further comprises a closed end. 
     
     
       24. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 23 wherein said closed end further comprises a pair of spring means extending therefrom to respective free ends, at least one of said spring means having an arris located intermediate the closed end and said free ends, said at least one spring means having a diverging section intermediate said closed end and said arris, and a converging section intermediate said arris and the free end of said at least one spring means, said diverging section extending transverse to and diverging from a longitudinal axis of said insert in the direction from said closed end toward said free ends, said converging section extending transverse to and converging toward the longitudinal axis of said insert in the direction from said closed end toward said free ends. 
     
     
       25. An electrical connector assembly as recited in claim 20 further comprising tab means formed on the insert flange means and a cavity in the flange means to receive said tab means.